Masterpiece

Rating: 8/10 (8 November 2019)

The thing that's always worried me about being one of the few is the way we keep on getting fewer.
-Flight Officer David Campbell
An epic war film if there ever was one. The film plays like a chess match as we see D-Day from the perspective of the Germans, English, Americans and French (both Army and resistance) with different directors doing their own segments. The biggest surprise is that at no time does the film feel like different directors were involved.
I thought the glorified cameos would be a bit much in the film, but it turns out it works a great deal in it's favor. You get an instant attachment to certain characters and care what happens with limited time devoted to them which is good, because despite it being three hours long, the film doesn't have time to waste on character development.
It works though. How do we make sure the audience notices Brig. Gen. Norman Cota when he's introduced in a five minute scene and then remember him when he shows up again 2 hours later? Put Robert Mitchum in the role. How do we make sure the audience is suddenly invested in what happens to Pvt. Flanagan when we see him for the first time storming the beaches of Normandy? Cast Sean Connery in the role. Ect and so forth.
The various moving parts coming together with amazing star power to back it up would be enough to make this a great movie, but it also has some jaw dropping amazing shots. Practical shots you do not see in films today without them being CGI'd to hell.
Also one of the most surprising elements of the film is that despite it being this grand epic, completely worthy of that moniker, the film makers decided to go with a small understated ending... which was PERFECT. Loved it.